2013 Canadian Green Car Award winner - Ford Fusion Hybrid
Toronto, ON March 17 – Sixteen vehicles, from a battery-powered compact to a family-friendly SUV, are in the running to be named the 2014 Canadian Green Car.
Many of the country’s top automotive journalists are set to test them, and select the one with the greatest potential to benefit our environment. Envirodad.com Editor in Chief Eric Novak is a co-originator of the award, sits on the overall steering committee and is a member of the judging panel.
The 20 judges, some of the countries most respected automotive journalists, will assess not only the contestants’ environmental attributes but also their overall consumer appeal, since vehicles will have a much greater “green” impact if they sell in large numbers.
The vehicles are divided into five categories — battery-electric or fuel cell, plug-in hybrid, conventional hybrid, efficient gasoline or diesel internal combustion, and efficient “family hauler” with at least three rows of seats.
The category winners will be announced in mid-April. After a further round of judging, one of those five will be crowned the Canadian Green Car Award winner at the annual Green Living Show, at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto; Friday, April 25.
The Green Living Show is Canada’s largest consumer show dedicated to simple solutions for leading a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. This three-day event offers inspiration for all ages and features influential speakers; eco home, cottage and garden design; local and organic food and wine tastings; health, wellness and yoga pavilions; eco fashion and green beauty makeovers; electric and hybrid car test drives; nature exhibits and fun activities for the entire family.
“Each year at the Green Living Show consumers have the opportunity to view and test drive the most innovative automotive technologies on the market,” says Laurie Simmonds, CEO, Green Living Enterprises which operates the Show and will host the Award ceremony. “The Canadian Green Car Award fits with our focus on helping consumers find the most attractive and fuel-efficient solutions for their transportation needs. The judges face a difficult tasard program will encourage them to do even more.”“
This is the second year for the Award. Last year’s inaugural winner was the Ford Fusion hybrid. In line with other global Green Car awards, judges nominated the vehicles, to ensure that every vehicle meeting basic entry criteria was considered and, in turn, make the Award a fair and useful guide for car buyers. The nominees were whittled down to the short list of 16, divided into the five categories.
The category and overall winners will be selected through a combination of factual data and judges’ assessments based on test drives, experience and manufacturers’ information.
The environmental benefits considered include fuel efficiency, tailpipe emissions, the use of sustainable or recyclable materials and measures taken by manufacturers to green their operations. Elements that influence consumer appeal include range, price, safety aids, comfort and connectivity features, performance, and build quality.
Here are this year’s contestants:
Battery Electric
Nissan Leaf
Tesla Model S
Ford Focus EV
Kia Soul EV
Plug-in Hybrid
Cadillac ELR
Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid
Ford C-Max Energi
Hybrid
Honda Accord Hybrid
Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid
Infiniti Q50 Hybrid
Efficient Gasoline or Diesel Internal Combustion
Mazda3 (2.0-litre, AT)
Chevrolet Cruze Diesel
Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Efficient Three-Row Vehicle
Mazda5
Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid
Kia Rondo
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